


Nature, Future

by yet_intrepid



Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 16:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yet_intrepid/pseuds/yet_intrepid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jehan abuses Rousseauian concepts, Courfeyrac argues with him about the state of nature as opposed to progress, and Enjolras is bemused but lacks any concern about his hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nature, Future

“Enjolras,” Courfeyrac said in entreating tones, running his fingers through his friend’s long golden hair, “you are dreadfully behind the times, you know. A haircut would not go amiss.”

“Hmm,” said Enjolras. He turned the page of his newspaper.

Courfeyrac was not deterred. “A haircut, and, oh, just a little use of a curling iron…it would add to your charm, you see. And through your charm, people are enticed to listen to your words.”

“There is talk of the king dismissing parliament,” Enjolras said.

“You told us that yesterday,” Courfeyrac protested. “Come, Jehan, don’t you think—”

But Jehan, half-laughing, was indignant. “You want him to cut his hair? But Courfeyrac! His hair exists in its pure and natural state; why should it be tamed? It represents the ideal!”

Courfeyrac raised an eyebrow. “Are you invoking Rousseau over the matter of Enjolras’ hair, my dear Jehan?”

“Of course I am,” Jehan said. He straightened up to quote, adopting formality and smoothing his own long, smooth hair as he did so. “ _God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil. He forces one soil to yield the products of another, one tree to bear another’s fruit. He confuses and confounds time, place, and natural conditions. He mutilates his dog, his horse, and his slave. He destroys and defaces all things; he loves all that is deformed and monstrous; he will have nothing as nature made it, not even man himself_.”

Courfeyrac’s hand went at once to his curls. “I am mortally insulted! You call the masterwork of my curls destroyed and defaced, deformed and monstrous? Besides, you leave off quoting too soon: does not Rousseau go on to say, _yet things would be worse without this education_? And furthermore, Enjolras does not seek a return to the state of nature. Instead, his goal is a just and balanced social contract. If we have left the state of nature behind in society, why should we not progress in other realms? Curling one’s hair is the way of the future, and—”

Enjolras glanced up from his paper, fixed them both with a look, then returned to reading with a bemused shake of the head and a slight uptilt to his lips.

“I’ll just curl _your_ hair, then!” Courfeyrac whispered in Jehan’s ear.


End file.
